Southern Africa spices up men’s Waterfalls T20 show

Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) has and is still receiving plaudits after staging a rather vibrant Waterfalls Twenty20 Elite Cup for the women last week.
 
Certainly, tournament director Davis Karashani knows there are still areas to improve the brand and if anything, the men’s episode of the same championship offers room for that this week.
 
The three franchises Sipi Trekkers, Itanda Kayakers and Bujagali Rafters will lock horns again at Lugogo Oval over a six-match round-robin phase beginning Thursday until Saturday and the best two sides meet in Sunday afternoon’s final.
 
“As we go into the second leg of the two in one Waterfalls T20 elite league, the bar has been set high by the ladies,” remarked Karashani. 
 
“And we expect the men’s version to provide a high tempo quality cricket brand that attracts more foreign players and commercial partners,” the former national team captain added.
 
UCA unveiled the sides and announce a new spice up from Southern Africa. Botswana skipper Karabo Mothlanka made a late confirmation yesterday that he will be a part of the Rafters, who will be led by Cricket Cranes’ skipper Brian Masaba.
 
Mothlanka joins another left-hand batsman Donex Kansonkho, one of the three Malawians entered for the tournament. 
 
The other two players from Lilongwe are right-arm medium-fast bowler Blessing Pondani and Sohail Sami with the latter carrying an enviable T20 batting average of 76 runs.
 
These new entrants are supplementing the cast of familiar faces from the region like Kenyan skipper Shem Ngoche who will play for the Trekkers.
 
Pace bowler Elijah Otieno and veteran cricket brain Collins Obuya will play for the Rafters franchise while Rwanda has entered Orchide Tuyisenge and Kevin Irakoze for the Trekkers as well as left-arm medium fast bowler Ignace Ntirenganya in for the Rafters.
 
The Malawians featured in the Uganda team T20 trial won by Uganda A by 17 runs thanks to a half-ton of 76 runs off 52 balls by Simon Sesaazi comprising eight boundaries and three sixes.
 
Of course, the show could have been a notch higher had Tanzanians and players from Gaborone confirmed participation. 
 

ELITE WATERFALLS T20 TOURNAMENT